U.S. patent application number 13/162774 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-20 for vascular assessment system.
This patent application is currently assigned to TYCO HEALTHCARE GROUP LP. Invention is credited to Noelle Leslie Barnett, Vitas Jonas Sipelis.
Application Number | 20120324402 13/162774 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46177507 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120324402 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Barnett; Noelle Leslie ; et
al. |
December 20, 2012 |
Vascular Assessment System
Abstract
Systems and methods for aiding treatment of a medical condition
are described. One such method includes: displaying at an interface
(i) a graphical representation of at least a portion of an anatomic
area, and (ii) regions of interest at locations in the
representation, each of the regions representing an anatomic site
of a medical event; receiving from a user a first selection
representing a first site among the anatomic sites; determining a
first set of morphologies of the first site, each member of the
first set being clinically associated with occurrence of the event
at a diseased portion of the first site; and determining, based on
a second selection by the user, a second set of morphologies of the
first site, each member of the second set including at least one of
a shape and a size of the diseased portion associated with the
first member.
Inventors: |
Barnett; Noelle Leslie;
(Corona del Mar, CA) ; Sipelis; Vitas Jonas; (San
Clemente, CA) |
Assignee: |
TYCO HEALTHCARE GROUP LP
Mansfield
MA
|
Family ID: |
46177507 |
Appl. No.: |
13/162774 |
Filed: |
June 17, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/840 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G16H 20/40 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/840 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/048 20060101
G06F003/048 |
Claims
1. A method of aiding interventional treatment of a vascular
disease, comprising: displaying at an interface (i) a graphical
representation of at least a portion of a vascular area comprising
at least one of an arterial bifurcation and a venous confluence,
and (ii) a plurality of regions of interest at locations in the
representation, each of the regions representing a distinct
anatomic site of an event at the vascular area; wherein the event
comprises at least one of thrombosis, rupture, and bleeding;
receiving from a user a first selection, of a first of the regions,
the first region representing a first site among the plurality of
anatomic sites; determining, based on the first selection, a first
set of morphologies of the first site, each member of the first set
being clinically associated with occurrence of the event at a
diseased portion of the first site; displaying the members of the
first set to the user; receiving from the user a second selection,
of a first member of the first set; determining, based on the
second selection, a second set of morphologies of the first site,
each member of the second set comprising at least one of a shape
and a size of the diseased portion associated with the first
member; and displaying the members of the second set to the
user.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the diseased portion comprises at
least one of an aneurysm and an arteriovenous malformation.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving from the
user a third selection, of a first member of the second set;
determining, based on the third selection, an item of clinical
information to display to the user; and displaying the item of
clinical information to the user.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the item of clinical information
comprises a selection of at least one therapeutic device type
suitable for treating the diseased portion, wherein selection of
the at least one therapeutic device type is based on at least one
of the first selection and the second selection.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the item of clinical information
includes at least one link to an interface containing information
about a particular therapeutic device.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information about a
particular therapeutic device comprises at least one of device
features, device benefits, case reports associated with the device,
device configurations, and a summary of studies associated with the
device.
7. The method of claim 3, wherein the item of clinical information
comprises at least one treatment option associated with the first
selection and the second selection.
8. The method of claim 3, wherein the item of clinical information
comprises information about a plurality of treatment options
including at least one of comparisons between treatment options,
outcome statistics of treatment options, and case reports.
9. The method of claim 3, wherein the item of clinical information
comprises a selection of information about the event at the
vascular area, wherein selection of the information about the event
is based on at least one of the first selection and the second
selection.
10. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored
therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to
perform operations comprising: displaying at an interface (i) a
graphical representation of a portion of a mammalian body, and (ii)
a plurality of regions of interest at locations in the
representation, each of the regions representing a distinct
anatomic site of a potential medical event; receiving from a user a
first selection, of a first of the regions, the first region
representing a first site among the plurality of anatomic sites;
determining, based on the first selection, a first set of
morphologies of the first site, each member of the first set being
clinically associated with occurrence of the event at a diseased
portion of the first site; displaying the members of the first set
to the user; receiving from the user a second selection, of a first
member of the first set; determining, based on the second
selection, a second set of morphologies of the first site, each
member of the second set comprising at least one of a shape and a
size of the diseased portion associated with the first member; and
displaying the members of the second set to the user.
11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the graphical
representation of a portion of the mammalian body comprises a
vascular area of the mammalian body.
12. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the diseased
portion comprises at least one of an aneurysm and an arteriovenous
malformation.
13. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving from the user a third selection, of a first member of the
second set; determining, based on the third selection, an item of
clinical information to display to the user; and displaying the
item of clinical information to the user.
14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the item of
clinical information comprises a selection of at least one
therapeutic device type suitable for treating the diseased portion,
wherein selection of the at least one therapeutic device type is
based on at least one of the first selection and the second
selection.
15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the item of
clinical information includes at least one link to an interface
containing information about a particular therapeutic device.
16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the
information about a particular therapeutic device comprises at
least one of device features, device benefits, case reports
associated with the device, device configurations, and a summary of
studies associated with the device.
17. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the item of
clinical information comprises information about a plurality of
treatment options including at least one of comparisons between
treatment options, outcome statistics of treatment options, and
case reports.
18. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the item of
clinical information comprises a selection of information about the
event, wherein selection of the information about the event is
based on at least one of the first selection and the second
selection.
19. A system of aiding interventional treatment of a vascular
disease, the system comprising: an output interface configured to
present data; an input interface configured to receive input data;
a processor; and a storage device configured to store instructions
that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
display, at the output interface, (i) a graphical representation of
at least a portion of a vascular area comprising at least one of an
arterial bifurcation and a venous confluence, and (ii) a plurality
of regions of interest at locations in the representation, each of
the regions representing a distinct anatomic site of an event at
the vascular area; wherein the event comprises at least one of
thrombosis, rupture, and bleeding; receive, via the input
interface, a first selection, of a first of the regions, the first
region representing a first site among the plurality of anatomic
sites; determine, based on the first selection, a first set of
morphologies of the first site, each member of the first set being
clinically associated with occurrence of the event at a diseased
portion of the first site; display, at the output interface, the
members of the first set to the user; receive, via the input
interface, a second selection, of a first member of the first set;
determine, based on the second selection, a second set of
morphologies of the first site, each member of the second set
comprising at least one of a shape and a size of the diseased
portion associated with the first member; and display, at the
output interface, the members of the second set to the user.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the storage device is further
configured to store instructions that, when executed by the
processor, cause the processor to: receive, via the input
interface, a third selection, of a first member of the second set;
determine, based on the third selection, an item of clinical
information to display to the user; and display, at the
output-interface, the item of clinical information to the user.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The subject technology relates to aiding treatment of a
medical condition.
[0002] In certain fields of medicine, deciding on a treatment plan
for a patient may be very difficult. Some treatment modalities may
lack a sufficient body of clinical research that may be relied upon
to establish safety and efficacy. Existing clinical evidence may
also be difficult to find and analyze. In some fields, a multitude
of treatment options may exist along with a confusing array of
research and test results for each of the options. The number of
options and the sheer amount of research material for each option
may make it difficult to identify the best treatment option for a
patient.
[0003] Moreover, every instance of a medical condition (e.g., a
vascular disease) is associated with a particular set of
characteristics that may vary from one instance of the condition to
another. As a result, some treatment options may be better for one
instance of a medical condition with a particular set of
characteristics than for another instance with different
characteristics. Identifying, updating, and recalling which
treatment options are preferred for a particular set of
characteristics of a medical condition may be difficult.
Furthermore, even if one or more treatment options may be
identified, if they involve the use of medical devices or drugs, it
may be difficult to determine which of the options is best for use
in a given patient.
SUMMARY
[0004] The subject technology is illustrated, for example,
according to various aspects described below. Various examples of
aspects of the subject technology are described as numbered clauses
(1, 2, 3, etc.) for convenience. These are provided as examples,
and do not limit the subject technology.
[0005] 1. A method of aiding interventional treatment of a vascular
disease, comprising: [0006] displaying at an interface (i) a
graphical representation of at least a portion of a vascular area
comprising at least one of an arterial bifurcation and a venous
confluence, and (ii) a plurality of regions of interest at
locations in the representation, each of the regions representing a
distinct anatomic site of an event at the vascular area;
[0007] wherein the event comprises at least one of thrombosis,
rupture, and bleeding; [0008] receiving from a user a first
selection, of a first of the regions, the first region representing
a first site among the plurality of anatomic sites; [0009]
determining, based on the first selection, a first set of
morphologies of the first site, each member of the first set being
clinically associated with occurrence of the event at a diseased
portion of the first site; [0010] displaying the members of the
first set to the user; [0011] receiving from the user a second
selection, of a first member of the first set; [0012] determining,
based on the second selection, a second set of morphologies of the
first site, each member of the second set comprising at least one
of a shape and a size of the diseased portion associated with the
first member; and [0013] displaying the members of the second set
to the user.
[0014] 2. The method of clause 1, wherein the diseased portion
comprises at least one of an aneurysm and an arteriovenous
malformation.
[0015] 3. The method of clause 1, further comprising: [0016]
receiving from the user a third selection, of a first member of the
second set; [0017] determining, based on the third selection, an
item of clinical information to display to the user; and [0018]
displaying the item of clinical information to the user.
[0019] 4. The method of clause 3, wherein the item of clinical
information comprises a selection of at least one therapeutic
device type suitable for treating the diseased portion, wherein
selection of the at least one therapeutic device type is based on
at least one of the first selection and the second selection.
[0020] 5. The method of clause 3, wherein the item of clinical
information includes at least one link to an interface containing
information about a particular therapeutic device.
[0021] 6. The method of clause 5, wherein the information about a
particular therapeutic device comprises at least one of device
features, device benefits, case reports associated with the device,
device configurations, and a summary of studies associated with the
device.
[0022] 7. The method of clause 3, wherein the item of clinical
information comprises at least one treatment option associated with
the first selection and the second selection.
[0023] 8. The method of clause 3, wherein the item of clinical
information comprises information about a plurality of treatment
options including at least one of comparisons between treatment
options, outcome statistics of treatment options, and case
reports.
[0024] 9. The method of clause 3, wherein the item of clinical
information comprises a selection of information about the event at
the vascular area, wherein selection of the information about the
event is based on at least one of the first selection and the
second selection.
[0025] 10. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored
therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to
perform operations comprising: [0026] displaying at an interface
(i) a graphical representation of a portion of a mammalian body,
and (ii) a plurality of regions of interest at locations in the
representation, each of the regions representing a distinct
anatomic site of a potential medical event; [0027] receiving from a
user a first selection, of a first of the regions, the first region
representing a first site among the plurality of anatomic sites;
[0028] determining, based on the first selection, a first set of
morphologies of the first site, each member of the first set being
clinically associated with occurrence of the event at a diseased
portion of the first site; [0029] displaying the members of the
first set to the user; [0030] receiving from the user a second
selection, of a first member of the first set; [0031] determining,
based on the second selection, a second set of morphologies of the
first site, each member of the second set comprising at least one
of a shape and a size of the diseased portion associated with the
first member; and [0032] displaying the members of the second set
to the user.
[0033] 11. The machine-readable medium of clause 10, wherein the
graphical representation of a portion of the mammalian body
comprises a vascular area of the mammalian body.
[0034] 12. The machine-readable medium of clause 10, wherein the
diseased portion comprises at least one of an aneurysm and an
arteriovenous malformation.
[0035] 13. The machine-readable medium of clause 10, further
comprising: [0036] receiving from the user a third selection, of a
first member of the second set; [0037] determining, based on the
third selection, an item of clinical information to display to the
user; and [0038] displaying the item of clinical information to the
user.
[0039] 14. The machine-readable medium of clause 13, wherein the
item of clinical information comprises a selection of at least one
therapeutic device type suitable for treating the diseased portion,
wherein selection of the at least one therapeutic device type is
based on at least one of the first selection and the second
selection.
[0040] 15. The machine-readable medium of clause 13, wherein the
item of clinical information includes at least one link to an
interface containing information about a particular therapeutic
device.
[0041] 16. The machine-readable medium of clause 15, wherein the
information about a particular therapeutic device comprises at
least one of device features, device benefits, case reports
associated with the device, device configurations, and a summary of
studies associated with the device.
[0042] 17. The machine-readable medium of clause 13, wherein the
item of clinical information comprises information about a
plurality of treatment options including at least one of
comparisons between treatment options, outcome statistics of
treatment options, and case reports.
[0043] 18. The machine-readable medium of clause 13, wherein the
item of clinical information comprises a selection of information
about the event, wherein selection of the information about the
event is based on at least one of the first selection and the
second selection.
[0044] 19. A system for aiding interventional treatment of a
vascular disease, the system comprising: [0045] an output interface
configured to present data; [0046] an input interface configured to
receive input data; [0047] a processor; and [0048] a storage device
configured to store instructions that, when executed by the
processor, cause the processor to: [0049] display, at the output
interface, (i) a graphical representation of at least a portion of
a vascular area comprising at least one of an arterial bifurcation
and a venous confluence, and (ii) a plurality of regions of
interest at locations in the representation, each of the regions
representing a distinct anatomic site of an event at the vascular
area; [0050] wherein the event comprises at least one of
thrombosis, rupture, and bleeding; [0051] receive, via the input
interface, a first selection, of a first of the regions, the first
region representing a first site among the plurality of anatomic
sites; [0052] determine, based on the first selection, a first set
of morphologies of the first site, each member of the first set
being clinically associated with occurrence of the event at a
diseased portion of the first site; [0053] display, at the output
interface, the members of the first set to the user; [0054]
receive, via the input interface, a second selection, of a first
member of the first set; [0055] determine, based on the second
selection, a second set of morphologies of the first site, each
member of the second set comprising at least one of a shape and a
size of the diseased portion associated with the first member; and
[0056] display, at the output interface, the members of the second
set to the user.
[0057] 20. The system of clause 19, wherein the storage device is
further configured to store instructions that, when executed by the
processor, cause the processor to: [0058] receive, via the input
interface, a third selection, of a first member of the second set;
[0059] determine, based on the third selection, an item of clinical
information to display to the user; and [0060] display, at the
output-interface, the item of clinical information to the user.
[0061] 21. A method of aiding treatment of a medical condition,
comprising: [0062] displaying at an interface (i) a graphical
representation of at least a portion of a body, and (ii) a
plurality of regions of interest at locations in the
representation, each of the regions representing a distinct
anatomic site of an event at the body; [0063] receiving from a user
a first selection, of a first of the regions, the first region
representing a first site among the plurality of anatomic sites;
[0064] determining, based on the first selection, a first set of
morphologies of the first site, each member of the first set being
clinically associated with occurrence of the event at a diseased
portion of the first site; [0065] displaying the members of the
first set to the user; [0066] receiving from the user a second
selection, of a first member of the first set; [0067] determining,
based on the second selection, a second set of morphologies of the
first site, each member of the second set comprising at least one
of a shape and a size of the diseased portion associated with the
first member; and [0068] displaying the members of the second set
to the user.
[0069] 22. The method of clause 21, wherein the diseased portion
comprises at least one of an aneurysm and an arteriovenous
malformation.
[0070] 23. The method of clause 21, further comprising: [0071]
receiving from the user a third selection, of a first member of the
second set; [0072] determining, based on the third selection, an
item of clinical information to display to the user; and [0073]
displaying the item of clinical information to the user.
[0074] 24. The method of clause 23, wherein the item of clinical
information comprises a selection of at least one therapeutic
device type suitable for treating the diseased portion, wherein
selection of the at least one therapeutic device type is based on
at least one of the first selection and the second selection.
[0075] 25. The method of clause 23, wherein the item of clinical
information includes at least one link to an interface containing
information about a particular therapeutic device.
[0076] 26. The method of clause 25, wherein the information about a
particular therapeutic device comprises at least one of device
features, device benefits, case reports associated with the device,
device configurations, and a summary of studies associated with the
device.
[0077] 27. The method of clause 23, wherein the item of clinical
information comprises at least one treatment option associated with
the first selection and the second selection.
[0078] 28. The method of clause 23, wherein the item of clinical
information comprises information about a plurality of treatment
options including at least one of comparisons between treatment
options, outcome statistics of treatment options, and case
reports.
[0079] 29. The method of clause 23, wherein the item of clinical
information comprises a selection of information about the event at
the body, wherein selection of the information about the event is
based on at least one of the first selection and the second
selection.
[0080] 30. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored
therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to
perform operations comprising: [0081] displaying at an interface
(i) a graphical representation of a portion of a mammalian body,
and (ii) a plurality of regions of interest at locations in the
representation, each of the regions representing a distinct
anatomic site of a potential medical event; [0082] receiving from a
user a first selection, of a first of the regions, the first region
representing a first site among the plurality of anatomic sites;
[0083] determining, based on the first selection, a first set of
morphologies of the first site, each member of the first set being
clinically associated with occurrence of the event at a diseased
portion of the first site; [0084] displaying the members of the
first set to the user; [0085] receiving from the user a second
selection, of a first member of the first set; [0086] determining,
based on the second selection, a second set of morphologies of the
first site, each member of the second set comprising at least one
of a shape and a size of the diseased portion associated with the
first member; and [0087] displaying the members of the second set
to the user. [0088] 31. The machine-readable medium of clause 30,
wherein the graphical representation of a portion of the mammalian
body comprises a vascular area of the mammalian body. [0089] 32.
The machine-readable medium of clause 30, wherein the diseased
portion comprises at least one of an aneurysm and an arteriovenous
malformation. [0090] 33. The machine-readable medium of clause 30,
further comprising: [0091] receiving from the user a third
selection, of a first member of the second set; [0092] determining,
based on the third selection, an item of clinical information to
display to the user; and [0093] displaying the item of clinical
information to the user.
[0094] 34. The machine-readable medium of clause 33, wherein the
item of clinical information comprises a selection of at least one
therapeutic device type suitable for treating the diseased portion,
wherein selection of the at least one therapeutic device type is
based on at least one of the first selection and the second
selection.
[0095] 35. The machine-readable medium of clause 33, wherein the
item of clinical information includes at least one link to an
interface containing information about a particular therapeutic
device.
[0096] 36. The machine-readable medium of clause 35, wherein the
information about a particular therapeutic device comprises at
least one of device features, device benefits, case reports
associated with the device, device configurations, and a summary of
studies associated with the device.
[0097] 37. The machine-readable medium of clause 33, wherein the
item of clinical information comprises information about a
plurality of treatment options including at least one of
comparisons between treatment options, outcome statistics of
treatment options, and case reports.
[0098] 38. The machine-readable medium of clause 33, wherein the
item of clinical information comprises a selection of information
about the event, wherein selection of the information about the
event is based on at least one of the first selection and the
second selection.
[0099] 39. A system for aiding treatment of a medical condition,
the system comprising: [0100] an output interface configured to
present data; [0101] an input interface configured to receive input
data; [0102] a processor; and [0103] a storage device configured to
store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the
processor to: [0104] display, at the output interface, (i) a
graphical representation of at least a portion of a body, and (ii)
a plurality of regions of interest at locations in the
representation, each of the regions representing a distinct
anatomic site of an event at the body; [0105] receive, via the
input interface, a first selection, of a first of the regions, the
first region representing a first site among the plurality of
anatomic sites; [0106] determine, based on the first selection, a
first set of morphologies of the first site, each member of the
first set being clinically associated with occurrence of the event
at a diseased portion of the first site; [0107] display, at the
output interface, the members of the first set to the user;
receive, via the input interface, a second selection, of a first
member of the first set; [0108] determine, based on the second
selection, a second set of morphologies of the first site, each
member of the second set comprising at least one of a shape and a
size of the diseased portion associated with the first member; and
[0109] display, at the output interface, the members of the second
set to the user.
[0110] 40. The system of clause 39, wherein the storage device is
further configured to store instructions that, when executed by the
processor, cause the processor to: [0111] receive, via the input
interface, a third selection, of a first member of the second set;
[0112] determine, based on the third selection, an item of clinical
information to display to the user; and [0113] display, at the
output-interface, the item of clinical information to the user.
[0114] Additional features and advantages of the subject technology
will be set forth in the description below, and in part will be
apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
subject technology. The advantages of the subject technology will
be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out
in the written description and claims hereof as well as the
appended drawings.
[0115] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of
the subject technology as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0116] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide
further understanding of the subject technology and are
incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification,
illustrate disclosed aspects of the subject technology and together
with the description serve to explain the principles of the subject
technology.
[0117] FIG. 1 is a conceptual block diagram illustrating an
environment 100 for aiding treatment of a medical condition, in
accordance with various aspects of the subject technology.
[0118] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a process for aiding
treatment of a vascular disease are disclosed, in accordance with
various aspects of the subject technology.
[0119] FIG. 3 is a graphical interface that displays a graphical
representation of a vascular area, in accordance with some aspects
of the subject technology.
[0120] FIG. 4 is a graphical interface that displays a first set of
morphologies, in accordance with some aspects of the subject
technology.
[0121] FIG. 5 is a graphical interface that displays a second set
of morphologies, in accordance with some aspects of the subject
technology.
[0122] FIG. 6A is a portion of a graphical interface that displays
items of clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of
the subject technology.
[0123] FIG. 6B is a portion of a graphical interface that displays
items of clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of
the subject technology.
[0124] FIG. 6C is a graphical interface that displays items of
clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of the
subject technology.
[0125] FIG. 7A is a portion of a graphical interface that displays
items of clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of
the subject technology.
[0126] FIG. 7B is a portion of a graphical interface that displays
items of clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of
the subject technology.
[0127] FIG. 8A is a portion of a graphical interface that displays
items of clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of
the subject technology.
[0128] FIG. 8B is a portion of a graphical interface that displays
items of clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of
the subject technology.
[0129] FIG. 8C is a graphical interface that displays items of
clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of the
subject technology.
[0130] FIG. 9 is a graphical interface that displays items of
clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of the
subject technology.
[0131] FIG. 10A is a portion of a graphical interface that displays
items of clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of
the subject technology.
[0132] FIG. 10B is a portion of a graphical interface that displays
items of clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of
the subject technology.
[0133] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a computer system
with which any of the clients and servers of FIG. 1 may be
implemented.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0134] In the following detailed description, numerous specific
details are set forth to provide a full understanding of the
subject technology. It will be apparent, however, to one ordinarily
skilled in the art that the subject technology may be practiced
without some of these specific details. In other instances,
well-known structures and techniques have not been shown in detail
so as not to obscure the subject technology.
[0135] A phrase such as "an aspect" does not imply that such aspect
is essential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies
to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure
relating to an aspect may apply to all configurations, or one or
more configurations. An aspect may provide one or more examples of
the disclosure. A phrase such as "an aspect" may refer to one or
more aspects and vice versa. A phrase such as "an embodiment" does
not imply that such embodiment is essential to the subject
technology or that such embodiment applies to all configurations of
the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an embodiment may
apply to all embodiments, or one or more embodiments. An embodiment
may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. A phrase such
"an embodiment" may refer to one or more embodiments and vice
versa. A phrase such as "a configuration" does not imply that such
configuration is essential to the subject technology or that such
configuration applies to all configurations of the subject
technology. A disclosure relating to a configuration may apply to
all configurations, or one or more configurations. A configuration
may provide one or more examples of the disclosure. A phrase such
as "a configuration" may refer to one or more configurations and
vice versa.
[0136] In accordance with various aspects of the subject
technology, systems and methods for aiding treatment of a vascular
disease are disclosed. Such a system may guide users (e.g.,
doctors, nurses, other medical practitioners, patients, etc.) to
various treatment options for a particular medical diagnosis or
diagnosed condition in a patient by providing an interface that may
be used to quickly and efficiently identify certain characteristics
or morphologies associated with the patient's medical condition,
determining appropriate treatment options based on the identified
characteristics of the patient's medical condition, and presenting
information about the treatment options to users. The presented
information may aid the user in making an informed decision on how
to treat the patient's medical condition. The presented information
may also help educate users (e.g., patients or friend and family of
a patient) about the potential treatment options for the patient's
diagnosed medical condition.
[0137] FIG. 1 is a conceptual block diagram illustrating an
environment 100 for aiding treatment of a medical condition, in
accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. Although
FIG. 1 illustrates a single system environment 100, other aspects
of the subject technology may include other configurations
including, for example, client-server networked environments or
peer-to-peer environments.
[0138] The environment 100 may include at least one user device 105
with an input interface (e.g., a touch-screen, a mouse, a keyboard,
a stylus interface, a voice recognition unit, etc.), an output
interface (e.g., a monitor, a speaker, etc.), and processing
capabilities. For example, user device 105 may be a computer, a
laptop, a mobile device (e.g., a phone, tablet, personal digital
assistant (PDA)), or any other machine with a processor, memory,
and input/output capabilities.
[0139] In some aspects, the user device 105 may include an output
interface 110, an input interface 120, a morphology module 130, and
a treatment module 140. The modules illustrated in FIG. 1 may
include software instructions encoded in a medium and executed by a
processor, computer hardware components, or a combination of both.
For example, the modules may each include one or more processors or
memories that are used to perform the functions described below.
According to some aspects, the various interfaces and modules may
share one or more processors or memories.
[0140] The interfaces and modules of FIG. 1 may work in combination
to help a user identify the particular set of characteristics of a
patient's known medical condition and one or more treatment options
that fit those set of characteristics of the patient's medical
condition. For example, the client device 105 may be used to
identify a region of interest that represents a distinct anatomic
site in the patient's body where an event or medical condition
occurred. Based on where in the patient's body the event or medical
condition occurred, the client device 105 may present a set of
morphologies to the user to enable the user to further characterize
the patient's medical event or condition.
[0141] After the user specifies a characteristic of the patient's
medical event or condition by selecting one morphology out of the
set of morphologies, the client device 105 may generate further
sets of morphologies based on the characteristics already specified
by the user in order to further identify characteristics of the
patient's medical condition and eventually present the user with a
number of treatment options directed to the patient's medical
diagnoses and information about the treatment options.
[0142] In the aspect illustrated by FIG. 1, the output interface
110 may be configured to present users with information via an
output device (e.g., a monitor or a speaker). For example, the
output interface 110 may generate display information to be
displayed on a monitor. The display information may include an
interface containing a graphical representation of a body or a
portion of a body as well as interaction items (e.g., buttons,
links, etc.) that may enable interaction with a user. Some of the
interaction items displayed on a monitor may enable a user to
navigate an application and select particular characteristics,
morphologies, or information about treatment options associated
with a known medical condition of a patient.
[0143] The input interface 120 may be configured to detect user
interactions with the user device 105. For example, the input
interface 120 may receive user selections of interaction items via
an input device (e.g., a touch screen, a mouse, a keyboard, a
microphone, etc.). The selections may include, for example, areas
of interest, morphologies, types of medical conditions, types of
medical events, treatment options, therapeutic devices, or clinical
information.
[0144] The morphology module 130 may be configured to determine a
set of morphologies to be presented the user, based on one or more
user selections received by the input interface 120, to enable the
user to specify characteristics of the patient's medical condition.
The treatment module 140 may be configured to present the user with
treatment options directed to the patient's medical diagnoses along
with information that may be helpful in determining course of
action or treatment plan. This information may include particular
therapeutic devices, device features and benefits, case reports,
charts and statistics comparing the treatment options, success
rates, etc.
[0145] The systems, methods, and concepts disclosed may be further
illustrated using particular aspects of the subject technology. For
example FIG. 2 illustrates a process for aiding treatment of a
vascular disease according to various aspects, while FIG. 3-FIG. 8
illustrate particular graphical interfaces for aiding treatment of
aneurysms according to various aspects.
[0146] As mentioned above, FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a
process 200 for aiding treatment of a vascular disease, in
accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. Although
the process 200 may be used to treat any type of vascular disease
at any location in an organism with a vascular system, the
operations in FIG. 2 will be discussed with references to the
graphical interfaces illustrated in FIG. 3-FIG. 8 in the interest
of clarity. Furthermore, it is understood that the subject
technology may be used to aid treatment of other types of diseases
besides vascular diseases, such as pulmonary, renal, cardiac,
musculoskeletal, neurological, dermatological, and gastrointestinal
diseases, and others.
[0147] Process 200 may begin at operation 205 where an output
interface 110 displays a graphical representation of a vascular
area and a plurality of regions of interest where each region of
interest represents a distinct anatomic site of a medical event at
the vascular area. For example, the medical event may include a
thrombosis, a rupture, or bleeding. The vascular area displayed in
the graphical representation may include, for example, areas with
arterial bifurcations and venous confluences.
[0148] FIG. 3 is a graphical interface 300 that displays a
graphical representation 305 of a vascular area, in accordance with
some aspects of the subject technology. In particular, the
graphical representation in FIG. 3 is a graphical representation of
the Circle of Willis 305 that may include anterior cerebral
arteries, an anterior communicating artery, internal carotid
arteries, posterior cerebral arteries, posterior communicating
arteries, etc. The graphical interface 300 also includes a number
of regions of interest 310 (numbered 1-6) at locations on the
graphical representation of the Circle of Willis 305.
[0149] Each region of interest 310 represents a distinct anatomic
site of an event at the vascular area (e.g., the Circle of Willis).
For example, anatomic sites for aneurysms at the Circle of Willis
may include the anterior communicating artery (ACA or ACOM), the
internal carotid artery (ICA), the posterior communicating artery
(PCOM), the basilar tip, the vertebrobasilar area, and the middle
cerebral artery (MCA). In some aspects, additional information such
as a description of the regions of interest 310 and information
about the regions of interest (e.g., incidence rates) may also be
shown on the graphical interface 300.
[0150] The regions of interest 310 on the display may be
interactive and may allow users to select one of the regions of
interest. For example, at operation 210, the input interface 120
may receive a user selection of the region of interest 310
identified by the number 2 and referring to the internal carotid
artery (ICA) at the Circle of Willis.
[0151] Based on the selection of the region of interest 310, at
operation 215, the morphology module 130 may determine a first set
of morphologies that are clinically associated with the medical
event at a diseased portion of the site (e.g., an aneurysm or an
arteriovenous malformation at the ICA of the Circle of Willis). The
set of morphologies may define one or more characteristics or
attributes (e.g., size, shape, color, texture, density,
orientation, specific location, etc.) of the medical event at the
diseased portion of the site.
[0152] Once determined, the first set of morphologies may be
displayed via the output interface 110 to the user at operation
220. FIG. 4 is a graphical interface 400 that displays a first set
of morphologies 405, in accordance with some aspects of the subject
technology. The morphologies may include, among other things, a
specific aneurysm location at the ICA of the Circle of Willis
(e.g., the sidewall) or a type (e.g., a complex morphology). One of
the displayed morphologies may be selected by a user and, at
operation 225, the input interface 120 may receive a selection of
one of the morphologies in the first set.
[0153] At operation 230, the morphology module 130 may determine a
second set of morphologies based on the user selection of one of
the first set of morphologies. The second set of morphologies may
include a size or shape of the diseased portion of the site
associated with the selected morphology of the first set. The
second set of morphologies may also be displayed on the graphical
interface at operation 235.
[0154] For example, FIG. 5 is a graphical interface 500 that
displays a second set of morphologies 510, in accordance with some
aspects of the subject technology. In the illustrated aspect, the
user may have selected the "Sidewall" morphology 505 in the first
set of morphologies. Based on the selected morphology 505, a second
set of morphologies may be generated and displayed. The second set
of morphologies 510 may include a "Small Narrow Neck," a "Small
Wide-Neck," and a "Large and Giant" morphologies that indicate
characteristics of aneurysms on a sidewall of the ICA.
[0155] At operation 240, one of the second set of morphologies
displayed to a user may be selected by a user and received by the
interface module 120. The received user selection may be used by
the treatment module 140 to determine, at operation 245, one or
more items of clinical information that may be helpful to the user
in determining a treatment plan for the patient. The items of
clinical information may then be displayed to the user at operation
250 in, for example, a graphical interface (e.g., a landing page or
display). The items of clinical information may also be determined
based on the various selections made by the user. As such, the
clinical information may be directed to the specific location and
characteristics of the patient's diagnosed medical condition.
[0156] The items of clinical information may be any piece of
information that may help a user decide a treatment plan for
patient's diagnosed vascular disease. For example, the item of
clinical information may include treatment options, comparisons
between treatment options, statistics and charts on the various
treatment options, case reports, and studies. The clinical
information may also include information about therapeutic devices
suitable to treat the patient's medical condition (e.g., device
features, benefits, case reports for the device, device
configurations, studies, etc.) or links to other information
related the patient's medical condition. In some aspects, links or
other interface items may be used by a user to access further
topics on a number of additional topics such as the natural history
of a medical condition, surgical or endovascular treatment options
for the medical condition, or information about treatment of
particular categories of the medical condition (e.g., ruptured
aneurysms).
[0157] FIG. 6A is a portion of a graphical interface 600 that
displays items of clinical information, in accordance with some
aspects of the subject technology. The graphical interface 600 may
be displayed to the user in response to various user selections.
For example, graphical interface 600 may be displayed in response
to the user selecting the "Small Narrow Neck" morphology displayed
in the graphical interface 500 in FIG. 5. Graphical interface 600
displays a number of items of clinical information related to
small, narrow neck aneurysms located on a sidewall of the ICA.
[0158] Graphical interface 600 includes information about the
small, narrow neck aneurysms located on the sidewall of the ICA
such as prevalence information 605, information about the natural
history of small, narrow neck aneurysms 610, information about
surgical treatment options 615, and information about endovascular
treatment options 620. The information may include a summary of
research, studies, or trials, information about new advancements in
treatment options, statistics, charts, or other visual aids. Links
to additional information (e.g., a link to more information about
the natural history 625 of small, narrow neck aneurysms, a link to
more information on ruptured aneurysm treatment, a link to more
surgical treatment options, or a link to expanded endovascular
treatment options) may also be provided.
[0159] The items of clinical information may also include treatment
options information that is associated with specific therapeutic
devices or product lines that may be used. For example, FIG. 6B is
a portion of a graphical interface 650 that displays items of
clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of the
subject technology. In some aspects, the portion of the graphical
interface 650 may appear right below the portion of the graphical
interface 600 illustrated in FIG. 6A. The bottom portion of the
graphical interface 650 may include further information about coil
embolization 655 that is associated with a particular device or
product (e.g., the Axium detatchable coil system) and information
about balloon assisted coiling 660 that is also associated with a
particular device or product (e.g., Hyper balloons). The graphical
interface 650 may also include recommended treatment options 665
and links to a more information about recommended products
associated with the treatment options (e.g., the Axium detachable
coil system and the Hyper occlusion balloons). The links may lead
to additional graphical interfaces with more detailed information
on each of the treatment options and associated therapeutic
products.
[0160] FIG. 6C is a graphical interface 680 that displays items of
clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of the
subject technology. More specifically, FIG. 6C illustrates a
natural history of small, narrow neck aneurysms that may be reached
by the user selecting the natural history link 625 displayed in
graphical interface 600 of FIG. 6A. In some aspects, the natural
histories of medical conditions may be a summary of one or more
studies and include visual aids (e.g., charts, tables, images,
graphs, etc.) to help a user digest the information.
[0161] FIG. 7A is a portion of a graphical interface 700 that
displays items of clinical information, in accordance with some
aspects of the subject technology. The graphical interface 700 may
be displayed in response to the user selecting the "Small
Wide-Neck" morphology displayed in the graphical interface 500 in
FIG. 5. Graphical interface 700 includes information about the
small, wide-neck aneurysms located on the sidewall of the ICA such
as prevalence information, information about the natural history of
small, wide-neck aneurysms, information about surgical treatment
options, and information about endovascular treatment options. As
will be illustrated with reference to FIG. 7B, a graphical
interface may also display case reports, comparative outcomes, and
studies that help a user decide a treatment plan.
[0162] FIG. 7B is a portion of a graphical interface 750 that
displays items of clinical information, in accordance with some
aspects of the subject technology. In some aspects, the portion of
the graphical interface 750 may appear right below the portion of
the graphical interface 700 illustrated in FIG. 7A. In addition to
displaying information about treatment options and devices or
product lines associated with the treatment options, the portion of
the graphical interface 750 may also show links to various
information comparing the recommended treatment options. For
example, there may be links to comparative outcomes of the
treatment options 755, links to case reports for one or more of the
treatment options (e.g., 760, 765, 770, 775) that may be associated
with a therapeutic product for that treatment option, and links to
trial results (780).
[0163] FIG. 8A is a portion of a graphical interface 800 that
displays items of clinical information, in accordance with some
aspects of the subject technology. The graphical interface 800 may
be displayed in response to the user selecting the "Large and
Giant" morphology displayed in the graphical interface 500 in FIG.
5. Graphical interface 800 includes information about large and
giant or wide-neck aneurysms located on the sidewall of the ICA
such as prevalence information, information about the natural
history of small, wide-neck aneurysms, information about surgical
treatment options, and information about endovascular treatment
options. The graphical interface 800 may also include links to
information about surgical results 805 so that users may be able to
get a better understanding of the surgical options.
[0164] FIG. 8B is a portion of a graphical interface 850 that
displays items of clinical information, in accordance with some
aspects of the subject technology. In some aspects, the portion of
the graphical interface 850 may appear right below the portion of
the graphical interface 800 illustrated in FIG. 8A. Graphical
interface 850 may display a side-by-side comparison of treatment
options 815. Each treatment option (e.g., coil embolization, parent
artery occlusion, liquid embolies, and flow diversion) in the
comparison 815 may be associated with a therapeutic product or
device (e.g., Axium progressive coil, Axium MicroFX PGLA and Nylon
microfiliments, Onyx HD-500, and Pipeline flow diversion device)
that may be used if the treatment option is selected to treat the
patient's medical condition. Links to more detailed information
(e.g., case reports) about the use of the therapeutic products or
devices with the treatment options may also be provided.
[0165] FIG. 8C is a graphical interface 880 that displays items of
clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of the
subject technology. More specifically, FIG. 8C illustrates a
graphical interface showing information about surgical outcomes of
giant aneurysms that may be reached by the user selecting the
natural history link 805 displayed in graphical interface 800 of
FIG. 8A. In some aspects, the surgical outcome information may be a
summary of one or more studies and include visual aids (e.g.,
charts, tables, images, graphs, etc.) to help a user digest the
information. References may also be provided on the graphical
interface 880 in order to allow users to find the studies for
further research.
[0166] In some aspects, different sets of graphical interfaces and
different sets of items of clinical information may be generated
for each combination of user selections received from the user. The
items of clinical information may include charts, tables, videos,
images, audio recordings, or other media that may be used to help a
user determine a treatment plan for a patient's medical
condition.
[0167] FIG. 9 is a graphical interface 900 that displays items of
clinical information, in accordance with some aspects of the
subject technology. More specifically, FIG. 9 illustrates a
graphical interface 900 showing treatment options for ruptured
aneurysms that may be reached by the user selecting the ruptured
aneurysm treatment link displayed in graphical interfaces 600 of
FIG. 6A, 700 of FIG. 7A, and 800 of FIG. 8A. The graphical
interface 900 includes information about ruptured aneurysms such as
prevalence information, treatment options, comparative results,
updates in treatment technology, and particular products that may
be used to treat the ruptured aneurysms.
[0168] In some aspects of the subject technology, a user may be
presented with items of clinical information at any point in the
process. In some aspects, instead of determining a second set of
morphologies based on the user selection of one of the first set of
morphologies as was done at operation 230 in FIG. 2, the system may
instead identify one or more items of clinical information and
display the items of clinical information to the user on the
graphical interface. Further aspects may be illustrated with
reference to FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B.
[0169] FIG. 10A is a portion of a graphical interface 1000 that
displays items of clinical information, in accordance with some
aspects of the subject technology. The graphical interface 1000 may
be displayed to the user in response to various user selections.
For example, graphical interface 1000 may be displayed in response
to the user selecting the "Complex Morphology" in the graphical
interface 400 in FIG. 4. Graphical interface 1000 displays a number
of items of clinical information related to aneurysms with complex
morphologies (e.g., fusiform and blister aneurysms) that may be
found on the ICA.
[0170] Graphical interface 1000 may includes information such as
prevalence information, information about the natural history of
aneurysms with complex morphologies, information about surgical
treatment options, and information about endovascular treatment
options. The information may include a summary of research,
studies, or trials, information about difficulties with treatment
options, statistics, charts, or other visual aids. Links to
additional information may also be provided.
[0171] FIG. 10B is a portion of a graphical interface 1050 that
displays items of clinical information, in accordance with some
aspects of the subject technology. In some aspects, the portion of
the graphical interface 1050 may appear right below the portion of
the graphical interface 1000 illustrated in FIG. 10A. The bottom
portion of the graphical interface 1050 may include information
about parent artery occlusion that is associated with a particular
device or product (e.g., Axium MicroFX) and information about flow
diversion that is also associated with a particular device or
product (e.g., Pipeline embolization devices). The graphical
interface 1050 may also include recommended treatment options and
links to a more information about recommended products associated
with the treatment options. The links may lead to additional
graphical interfaces with more detailed information on each of the
treatment options and associated therapeutic products as well as
comparative outcomes.
[0172] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a computer system
with which any of the clients and servers of FIG. 1 may be
implemented. In certain aspects, the computer system 1100 may be
implemented using hardware or a combination of software and
hardware, either in a dedicated server, or integrated into another
entity, or distributed across multiple entities.
[0173] The example computer system 1100 includes a processor 1102,
a main memory 1104, a static memory 1106, a disk drive unit 1116,
and a network interface device 1120 which communicate with each
other via a bus 1108. The computer system 1100 may further include
an input/output interface 1112 that may be configured to
communicate with various input/output devices such as video display
units (e.g., liquid crystal (LCD) displays, cathode ray tubes
(CRTs), or touch screens), an alphanumeric input device (e.g., a
keyboard), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), or a signal
generation device (e.g., a speaker).
[0174] Processor 1102 may be a general-purpose microprocessor
(e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)), a graphics processing unit
(GPU), a microcontroller, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an
Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field
Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Programmable Logic Device (PLD),
a controller, a state machine, gated logic, discrete hardware
components, or any other suitable entity that can perform
calculations or other manipulations of information.
[0175] A machine-readable medium (also referred to as a
computer-readable medium) may store one or more sets of
instructions 1124 embodying any one or more of the methodologies or
functions described herein. The instructions 1124 may also reside,
completely or at least partially, within the main memory 1104
and/or within the processor 1102 during execution thereof by the
computer system 1100, with the main memory 1104 and the processor
1102 also constituting machine-readable media. The instructions
1124 may further be transmitted or received over a network 1126 via
the network interface device 1120.
[0176] The machine-readable medium may be a single medium or
multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or
associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of
instructions. The machine-readable medium may include the drive
unit 1116, the static memory 1106, the main memory 1104, the
processor 1102, an external memory connected to the input/output
interface 1112, or some other memory. The term "machine-readable
medium" shall also be taken to include any non-transitory medium
that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of
instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the
machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the
embodiments discussed herein. The term "machine-readable medium"
shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to,
storage mediums such as solid-state memories, optical media, and
magnetic media.
[0177] Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for aiding
treatment of a vascular disease are described. According to various
aspects of the subject technology, a system may be configured to
help a user identify the particular set of characteristics of a
patient's known medical condition and one or more treatment options
that fit those set of characteristics of the patient's medical
condition. For example, the system may be used to identify a region
of interest that represents a distinct anatomic site in the
patient's body where an event or medical condition occurred. Based
on where in the patient's body the event or medical condition
occurred, the system may present a set of morphologies to the user
to enable the user to further characterize the patient's medical
event or condition.
[0178] After the user specifies a characteristic of the patient's
medical event or condition by selecting one morphology out of the
set of morphologies, the system may generate further sets of
morphologies based on the characteristics already specified by the
user in order to further identify characteristics of the patient's
medical event or condition and eventually present the user with a
number of treatment options directed to the patient's medical
diagnoses and information about the treatment options.
[0179] Those of skill in the art would appreciate that the various
illustrative blocks, modules, elements, components, methods, and
algorithms described herein may be implemented as electronic
hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To illustrate
this interchangeability of hardware and software, various
illustrative blocks, modules, elements, components, methods, and
algorithms have been described above generally in terms of their
functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as
hardware or software depends upon the particular application and
design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans
may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each
particular application. Various components and blocks may be
arranged differently (e.g., arranged in a different order, or
partitioned in a different way) all without departing from the
scope of the subject technology.
[0180] It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of
steps in the processes disclosed is an illustration of exemplary
approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that
the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes may be
rearranged. Some of the steps may be performed simultaneously.
[0181] As used herein, the word "module" refers to logic embodied
in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software
instructions, possibly having entry and exit points, written in a
programming language, such as, for example C++. A software module
may be compiled and linked into an executable program, installed in
a dynamic link library, or may be written in an interpretive
language such as BASIC. It will be appreciated that software
modules may be callable from other modules or from themselves,
and/or may be invoked in response to detected events or interrupts,
Software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM
or EEPROM. It will be further appreciated that hardware modules may
be comprised of connected logic units, such as gates and
flip-flops, and/or may be comprised of programmable units, such as
programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules described
herein are preferably implemented as software modules, but may be
represented in hardware or firmware.
[0182] It is contemplated that the modules may be integrated into a
fewer number of modules. One module may also be separated into
multiple modules. The described modules may be implemented as
hardware, software, firmware or any combination thereof.
Additionally, the described modules may reside at different
locations connected through a wired or wireless network, or the
Internet.
[0183] In general, it will be appreciated that the processors can
include, by way of example, computers, program logic, or other
substrate configurations representing data and instructions, which
operate as described herein. In other embodiments, the processors
can include controller circuitry, processor circuitry, processors,
general purpose single-chip or multi-chip microprocessors, digital
signal processors, embedded microprocessors, microcontrollers and
the like.
[0184] Furthermore, it will be appreciated that in one embodiment,
the program logic may advantageously be implemented as one or more
components. The components may advantageously be configured to
execute on one or more processors. The components include, but are
not limited to, software or hardware components, modules such as
software modules, object-oriented software components, class
components and task components, processes methods, functions,
attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code,
drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data
structures, tables, arrays, and variables.
[0185] The previous description is provided to enable any person
skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described
herein. The previous description provides various examples of the
subject technology, and the subject technology is not limited to
these examples. Various modifications to these aspects will be
readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic
principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects.
[0186] The word "exemplary" may be used herein to mean "serving as
an example or illustration." Any aspect or design described herein
as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or
advantageous over other aspects or designs.
[0187] All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of
the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are
known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the
art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended
to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein
is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether
such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim
element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited
using the phrase "means for" or, in the case of a method claim, the
element is recited using the phrase "step for." Furthermore, to the
extent that the term "include," "have," or the like is used in the
description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in
a manner similar to the term "comprise" as "comprise" is
interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
* * * * *